Saturday 5 April 2025 - TGO Challenge reunion walk from Hayfield

After completing the Lyme Park parkrun, Sue and I went to park outside the Sportsman Inn, near Hayfield, and set off on Graham Brookes TGO Challenge Reunion walk at about 10:30, half an hour after others had started.

It was a lovely blue sky day with a cool breeze and good views across to Kinder Scout.

We followed the Pennine Bridleway around Mount Famine and were surprised to catch up with Graham's group near spot height 431.

The group had been decimated by a stiff breeze on Mount Famine. Some had returned to Hayfield, others had chosen a lower level route to Whitehough. Spectacles had been blown away, hats and buffs also. Sue and I were happy to pause with the rag tag band in the shelter of a dry stone wall.

After the welcome coffee and cake break (Sue and I hadn't stopped since leaving home at 8:15) we strolled on towards the splendid viaduct near Chinley.

After that, nice paths led to the Paper Mill Inn, outside which David and Martin, who had taken a short cut route, were tucking into their beers.

Water power was needed to operate the mill, hence this weir on Black Brook.

After our lengthy lunch break, there being no time pressure, we headed steadily up Chinley Churn. It was breezy on top.

At this point most of the party disappeared, probably finding a direct route back, whilst Graham led his remaining few followers over rough ground to view some fossils.

There were a number of resting places, to which our party took full advantage whilst Graham rummaged for more fossils.

David enjoyed a snooze. The sheep were curious.

Those last few pictures are in a sort of random order. After that we wound our way down to Peep-O-Day Farm and some nice paths featuring lovely sunken lanes, back to the Sportsman Inn.

We got back in plenty of time for the 7:30 meal for 23 reunioners, Sue and I having followed the 19km route with 600 metres ascent shown below.

Alistair reappeared from a bus for the tasty meal, and after most people had adjourned to the campsite we took ourselves home. Luckily for Alistair, our route passed his house.

Thanks go to David Hardy for organising the reunion, and to Graham for arranging the walk, albeit he failed completely to keep all but a few of his followers in order!

Saturday 5 April 2025 - Lyme Park parkrun #496

We were due to enjoy a TGO reunion walk from Hayfield, so Sue and I stopped off at Lyme Park to limber up for the walk. It was another lovely day. (We had enjoyed Friday with Isabella - report on a separate private word document.)

Sue and I were both mostly walking but I just about kept up with Alistair Pooler and Jenny Raffle, both of whom are TGO Challengers, but  they were not to be joining us later on the reunion walk from Hayfield.

The parkrun heads steeply up towards Bow Stones, turning left over easier ground to Harpers Wood, before climbing again up Cage Hill to the Cage. I was just about keeping up with Alistair, in bright yellow, after taking account of my stops for photos.

Beyond the Cage, superb views opened up and whilst Alistair was now a yellow speck far ahead, Jenny Raffle was more or less alongside. We had a brief chat before she passed me on the final gruelling ascent to the finish. A time of 36.59 for me - not my quickest 5km!

Sue strolled in about ten minutes later.

It's a tough but not too crowded run. Just the one lap, and fabulous views on a sunny day like this.

Full results are here. I was position 132 out of 164 participants; Sue was 158.

Anyway, that warmed me up for tail running at Sunday's Wythenshawe Community Run. Well attended. I jogged along with a 'Couch to 5km' lady who was running 5km for the very first time. She did well, finishing in under 40 minutes.

Thursday 3 April 2025 - Aspire Restaurant

Another very fine evening with Paul and Jeanette at South Trafford College's excellent students' restaurant.

A selection of cocktails to start. Mine was the coffee one.
 

A nice chunk of lamb

Excellent dessert as always

It's great to see the students doing so well. Fantastic value as well. And we are booked in for another taster menu on 24 April.

Thursday 3 April 2025 - RHS Bridgewater Gardens

Sue and I enjoyed a leisurely bike ride to RHS Bridgewater Gardens and back. An hour each way, with an hour and a half in the gardens makes for a great way to spend a sunny morning.

The following images should give an impression of some of the colour in the gardens just now, though in this nice weather more plants and trees are coming into flower or leaf every day.

Then

Now

The only 'canal' picture taken today was of this new builting in Stretford that has been under construction for some time.